Warner Bros. Discovery‘s streamer Max, which just unveiled its Australia launch date, and Fox Corp.’s Tubi were in focus at MIP London on Wednesday, with a focus on their U.K. strategies.Leah Hooper Rosa, executive vp, streaming lead EMEA at Warner Bros. Discovery, discussed the Max launch in the U.K. that is planned for 2026 as part of its broader rollout across the globe. “We are striving to be a top 3 streamer with Max” overall, she said. In the U.K. overall, she acknowledged the competitive nature of the market but expressed confidence. “It all comes down to content,” she said. “If we don’t have great content, we are not going to survive.”Hooper Rosa said her key focus is working with the technology team to ensure that “every platform works from day 1” at the U.K. launch and that the service works perfectly given consumers expect that in addition to popular content. In terms of content, she pointed to the big success of season 3 of The White Lotus as one recent example and the likes of The Last of Us.Meanwhile, Scott Young, group senior vp, content, production and business operations at Warner Bros. Discovery, highlighted the value of sports content, calling it a key remaining bastion of mass live viewing. “It has a real magnetic nature whether you are a fan of the sport, a fan of the team or (interested in) the result,” he said.Asked about Max’s non-exclusive deal with Sky in the U.K., Hooper Rosa said that this provides an opportunity to reach more consumers via partnerships with additional distributors over time.During a Tubi session at MIP London on Wednesday, Ross Appleton, general manager of Tubi U.K., which launched last July, touted the advertising-supported streamer’s lineup of programming. “We have such a huge catalog of content,” he said. In the U.K., it is bigger than that of any other free streamer but not as big as in the U.S., he said, mentioning a film catalog in Britain that is 10 times bigger than rivals’.Content that is popular in the U.K. includes Nollywood and Bollywood fare, horror and content in other areas that aren’t as prominently represented on other streamers. “There is a real demand out there for that,” Appleton said.Asked about Tubi’s original content strategy and business, he acknowledged: “It’s tricky. We don’t invest heavily in originals. … We are doing it in a considered and measured way. We are not betting the house.” But Tubi likes doubling down on things that work. The streamer is not commissioning for the U.K. specifically so far but deciding on originals with an eye on their global opportunity.Any learnings from Tubi’s presentation of the NFL’s Super Bowl? “It was an amazing opportunity for us, and it was the Fox family” that helped create it. Tubi didn’t have any tech issues like Netflix and others have at times had with huge live events. “You have to be super-prepared,” Appleton shared. “And the whole company got behind it.”The executive also shared that 40 percent of Tubi’s U.K. audience is in the 18-34 age range, over-indexing compared with the 23 percent U.K.-wide figure for that age.Asked about the keys to Tubi’s success, Appleton shared several thoughts. “We are not trying to beat anyone” but focus on Tubi’s own success, recognizing that there’s also space for others, he said, also touting a culture of entrepreneurship. “Although acquired by Fox, they have been able to keep a start-up mentality,” Appleton told the MIP London audience.He also particularly touted Tubi’s focus on viewer engagement, saying: “The one thing that doesn’t change is the number of minutes in the day,” meaning that engagement helps streamers win.The Warner Bros. Discovery and Tubi sessions were part of Wednesday’s Global Streaming Strategies Summit at MIP London, presented by “media universe cartographer” Evan Shapiro. He opened the day with his trademark provocative food for thought. “The streaming war is over,” Shapiro said. “Netflix has won. Congratulations.” And the global streamer is now becoming more like TV thanks to NFL and WWE wrestling content, he said. He encouraged the industry to stop talking about the streaming wars, instead telling the audience: “Welcome to the great media war.”
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